Natural Cures for an Ingrown Toenail

Ingrown toenails start out as simple injuries that can get progressively worse if not treated and may need to be surgically removed. Before that happens, there are simple steps you can take to cure your ingrown toenail before it gets too deep into your flesh. Ingrown toenails occur most often among people who are on their feet or competing in sports requiring extensive running and people who wear footwear that is too small or cramps their toes.

Topical treatments

• Give your foot salt water baths by filling a bucket with warm water and adding a tablespoon of salt. Do this three to four times a day as long as the ingrown toenail persists. This will provide instant pain relief and help alleviate tenderness. With the cuticle still soft, try to cut away what you can of the toenail. Over time, you can slowly try to wear away the toenail digging into your toe. Wear sandals or other open-toe footwear while dealing with an ingrown toenail to relieve pain and help prevent further pressure. You can also place small bits of cotton under the toenail digging into the toe, gradually increasing the amount of cotton over time. Cotton helps create a buffer between the toenail and flesh and can soak up any blood, pus, or other moisture produced by the ingrown toenail. Use a hot compress wrap on the foot before bed, and consider wearing a hot compress overnight.

Herbal and ingested remedies

• Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen for immediate pain and inflammation relief. Use calendula petals to help reduce skin inflammation and antiseptic properties. Calendula has faradiol and isorhamnetin that can help level off the ingrown toenail and prevent infection. Lowering the swelling is crucial to curing the ingrown toenail, since blood-flushed flesh will only drive itself deeper into the cut created by the toenail. Apply tea tree oil or lavender oil to kill or prevent fungal infections that can exacerbate ingrown toenails.